Are you worried about whether you can afford that new phone or bike or car? Feeling guilty and tempted at the same time? Here is a simple way to find out affordability & organise finances so that you can responsibly buy stuff you love! Every time I go to a corporate money management session, I…

I was recently asked in an interview to list personal finance milestones in the 30s, 40s and 50s. Since personal finance is deeply personal, listing such milestones may cause anxiety in many who, due to personal circumstances, have had difficulty investing or saving like the rest of us. I liked three questions on a related…

In this article, Somaprasad S H, a senior insurance advisor explains with two real-life examples, how temporary total disablement claims in personal accident insurance work. He sent us this article after reading Buying Accident Insurance Policies in India: Must-know facts. Your article “Buying Accident Insurance Policies in India: Must-Know Facts” is a valuable resource — particularly…

DIY investing sounds wonderfully empowering. No commissions. No advisors pushing products. No relationship manager calling every quarter with a recommendation that mysteriously happens to suit your needs. Just you, your money, and complete control. At least that’s the story we tell ourselves.  The part nobody talks about is how lonely that control can become.  About…

Last month saw the launch of NaviPlan: A Privacy-Focused Multi-asset Tracker and Goal Planner. This tool, developed by Gokul of Naviran Technologies in association with freefincal, can be used to track mutual funds, stocks, and FDs.  The user can tag these to financial goals and track their progress. The tool also provides options to lower…

I was recently asked in an interview, “How can I emotionally handle long periods of poor returns in the equity markets?” – a discussion. Many readers accuse us of scaring them by stating the factually obvious: Long-term equity investment comes with no guarantees of success! So, we discuss how to stay invested in equity without worrying…

Many assume that their expenses will decrease after retirement and that they do not need as large a corpus as computed using our current lifestyle. This is a mistake. A 35-year-old once told me, “My expenses will be lower when I turn 60 because I will travel less, eat out less, etc.” There could be…

Everyone instantly recognizes rental income as passive income—potentially the oldest one. Real estate has an irresistible allure, which naturally leads to inquiries about its potential use as a source of passive income, especially after retirement. We discussed how passive income is crucial to your retirement plan and how to build the ideal retirement portfolio beyond…

In my previous article on risk profiling, I explored the shortcomings of most online risk assessment tools. That exercise unexpectedly led me somewhere deeper. About the author: Sneha Rege writes about personal finance and retirement planning based on her own journey as a salaried professional. She has cleared the NISM Series XA exam and continues to…

Here are some simple steps to plan and achieve your dreams and financial goals. One should consider investment products only after the goal is defined and planned for (the process). Sadly, most investors have a product-first, plan-later approach. Some assume they do not have a financial goal and only want to create wealth. They need…

A few years ago, during a long drive, I discussed money and governance with the auto-driver (it is safer to chat with strangers than relatives). He said, “For middle-class people like me ..”. I do not remember the rest of the sentence, but that phrase middle-class people like me has stayed with me. Up until that…

‘I’ll start once things settle down. It sounds like a plan. It even sounds responsible. But I’ve come to believe it might be one of the most expensive things a person can say to themselves. I’ve been investing in equity for about five years now. In the investing world, that’s not very long. I haven’t…

Many products and services offer users a choice: pay monthly or once a year at a considerable discount. Does it always make sense to take the deduction? Time is money, so paying a large amount now to avail of a discount (or to protect against a future price rise) can feel like a loss. On…

Each time the stock market falls, a new generation of investors learns how risky it can be, especially in the small and mid cap segments (including the Nifty Next 50). Equity investing is challenging for two reasons. 1) It requires incredible patience, discipline and conviction. See: Now Is the Best Time to Invest: Do not stop…

A few days ago,  a young man approached me after a talk and asked,  Is it unpatriotic to buy gold and international stocks now? I was not sure I was convincing in my answer, so let me put my thoughts together as an article. Caveat: I am not an economist. So please excuse the crudeness. Thankfully,…